Figures Dancing Gracefully
by Zane's Girl- Jo
Summary: Figures dancing gracefully across my memory... Elphaba had been to balls before, but never one quite like this. Another JO outtake. May ad to JO later.


**Figures Dancing Gracefully**

**Rifiuto: Non Miriena**

**Summary: _Figures dancing gracefully across my memory... _Elphaba had been to balls before, but never one quite like this. Another JO outtake. May ad to JO later. **

**A/N: Elphaba tells Nor that she can go at the beginning. It's Italian for 'You may go.'**

**A/N: The gown Elphaba wears is the same type of gown the Romanov daughters wore for the Tercentenary.**

Her heart lept into her throat.

"_Grazie_, Nor. _Tu potere andare." _The girl curtsied, before leaving her mistress, at the vanity. Once gone, Elphaba turned back to the mirror, reaching up to play momentarily with the necklace hanging around her neck- a beautiful sapphire given to her as a gift from her in-laws. The sapphire rested at the base of her throat, the tip just coming to rest at the start of her cleavage, as the sash went across her chest, clasping at the side. The crown that sat atop her raven curls sparkled in the light.

A knock at the door caused her to stand however, and she went to the door, revealing Fiyero's friend, Avaric.

"H... hello, Avaric." She whispered, nervous. He smiled at her softly, before bowing.

"Good evening, Your Majesty."

"Y... you don't have to do that, Avaric. We're... we're friends." She replied, looking down at the diamond bracelet around her wrist.

"I know." She met his eyes, and he stepped out of the doorway. "They're waiting for you, Princess." She swallowed, and moved past Avaric, making her way to the ballroom. Each step brought her closer and closer to a crowd of people who didn't know her; to a court that she someday would have to rule; and it scared her. Once she made it to the double doors, she noticed the King and Queen waiting for her. Fiyero was talking to his father, and Chelseqa was listening quietly. "Your Majesties?"

They all turned to see Elphaba, with Avaric by her side. "Thank you, Avaric." Suqari nodded to the young man, who then left, leaving Elphaba with her family. Silent, she joined Fiyero, taking his arm, and nervously began to fidget with her dress. The music sounded, and the doors opened, allowing Chelseqa and Suqari to enter the ballroom. Elphaba, however, hung back. Frightened, she pulled away from Fiyero and fled. He glanced at the ballroom, before following her.

"Elphaba?"

She looked up, to see him standing beside her. The servants had managed to block her path. Tears swam in her eyes.

"Elphaba, look at me."

Slowly she did; his kind eyes locked on hers, and he pulled her into his arms, holding her close.

"I can't, Yero-"

"Shh. Hush. There's nothing to be afraid of. I'll be right beside you, I promise."

"I can't-" She burrowed into him, and he held her, talking to her softly for several minutes before pulling away.

"Come on, love." He led her to the double doors, and she peeked around them, seeing the court below. "Go on." She looked back at him, fear still in her eyes. Gently, he wiped a tear off her cheek, and kissed her. "I'll be right beside you, darling. I promise." To prove it, instead of taking her arm, he took her hand, bringing it to his lips before starting down the stairs.

Her eyes widened. Elphaba had been to balls before, but never one quite like this. Because it was the King and Queen's wedding anniversary, everything was multiplied tenfold. She could only imagine what the Tercentenary celebration would be like- both she and Fiyero would be twenty and off to school, but perhaps they would return to help celebrate the anniversary. Or was it Sexcentennial? Had the Tiggular family ruled for three hundred years or six hundred? She wasn't sure.

The dancers seemed to float on air, as though made of nothing but silks and ribbons, not skin and bone. They seemed to be out of the portraits that hung on the walls around the ballroom- spirits from another time in their jewels and suits, floating about the ballroom with a grace that Elphaba hoped to possess someday. The sight of the figures- for until she got close to them, she couldn't tell whether they were spirits or humans- dancing gracefully on the ballroom floor caused her breath to catch, and she stopped, causing Fiyero to stop by her side.

"What is it? What's wrong, love?" He asked, concern in his eyes. She turned to him, never taking her eyes off the dancers.

"It's... amazing. They... they seem to float. Don't they, Yero?" He glanced at those on the dance floor, before turning back to her.

"I suppose they do." Then, he kissed her gently, before leading her down the rest of the stairs. Once they got to the bottom, however, the dancers stopped, and bowed to the young prince and princess.

She soon found herself the subject of the crowd's curiousity, but her husband soon helped break the study.

"Shall we dance, Princess?"

He held out his hand, and she couldn't help the smile on her lips as she laid her hand in his.

"I'd be honored, my Prince." She whispered, as he led her onto the ballroom floor. The waltz began again, and the court watched as the Crown Prince led his wife in a waltz. Satisfied smiles on their faces, the King and Queen, shared a look before joining their son and daughter-in-law. Soon, the rest of the court followed, joining the royal family in a waltz that Elphaba would never forget.

For the figures dancing gracefully, would forever be waltz across her memory.


End file.
